Researchers link tobacco tactics to ultra-processed food rise
8 reported
A new series of papers published June 3 in the American Journal of Public Health argues that the fight to curb over-consumption of ultra-processed foods should become a new war on tobacco, according to a single-source report from NPR. Researchers, including Laura Schmidt of the University of California, San Francisco, studied old tobacco company archives and found that tobacco giants began buying large food firms in the 1980s and applied marketing, flavor engineering, and processing technologies honed for cigarettes to ultra-processed foods. The papers add to evidence linking these foods to chronic disease, addictive characteristics, and intentional development by tobacco and food companies. The report notes that tobacco companies Reynolds and Altria did not respond to NPR’s request for comment, while the Consumer Brands Association pointed to the safety and affordability of its members’ products. A survey of 2,000 adults in the papers found that, across party lines, a majority want government regulation of ultra-processed foods. Researchers suggest state-level changes and litigation could follow, similar to tobacco lawsuits in the 1990s.
What’s reported
The papers were published June 3 in a special section of the American Journal of Public Health.
Laura Schmidt, a professor at UC San Francisco, studied old tobacco company archives.
Tobacco companies began buying large food firms in the 1980s, e.g., Philip Morris owned Kraft General Foods and RJ Reynolds owned Nabisco.
Internal company records show tobacco firms deliberately applied knowledge of addictive properties to food manufacturing, according to Schmidt.
One study in the series followed more than 5,000 older Americans over 10 years and found a possible association between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods and increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.
A survey of 2,000 adults found that, across party lines, a majority want the government to regulate ultra-processed foods.
Tobacco companies Reynolds and Altria did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.
The Consumer Brands Association statement said companies adhere to FDA safety standards and provide affordable products.
Key figures
Laura Schmidt, professor and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco
Nicholas Chartres, associate editor of the American Journal of Public Health and author of the new papers
Tera Fazzino, associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Kansas
Lindsey Smith Taillie, professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina and co-author of the papers
Jennifer Pomeranz, expert on food policy and law at New York University
Natalie Rubino, director of media relations at Consumer Brands Association
Sources: NPR
